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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144664">Can’t Help Falling In Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/marlborobitch/pseuds/marlborobitch'>marlborobitch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcoholic Tony Stark, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bucky Barnes Gets a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Returns, Everyone Needs A Hug, Fluff, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Insecure Tony, Jealous Tony Stark, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Avengers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:53:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144664</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/marlborobitch/pseuds/marlborobitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This was inevitable. Tony knew that from the first moment that Steve was his. Somehow he'd been lucky enough that Steve didn't see all the reasons Tony didn't deserve his love. And that was good, while it lasted. But nothing good ever did. Eventually, everyone saw Tony for what he was. And Tony knew in his heart as soon as they found out Barnes was alive that he had to hold onto Steve as long as he could. Because the minute Bucky returned, Steve would be gone. <br/>Or, the one where Bucky comes back and Tony thinks he’s going to lose Steve. Also, The Winter Soldier hurts Tony, which went over about as well as expected.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Can’t Help Falling In Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>There’s a bit of violence mentioned and minor swearing. Bucky attacks Tony and Steve isn’t as worried about his current boyfriend as he probably should be.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All tony could hear were two sets of heavy footsteps getting farther and farther away, his vision still blurred at the edges. Slowly dragging his hand across the bruises, he placed his own hand where another, much colder, stronger one had been moments before.</p><p> </p><p>In an instant, the man's eyes had gone dark and he pushed Tony to the ground with ease, wrapping a metal hand around his throat and cutting off his oxygen. Tony had wrapped his own hands around Bucky's wrist, trying with all his might to loosen his grip to no avail.</p><p> </p><p>Steve, on the other hand, didn't move a muscle, frozen in his place, completely silent as he stared at his former lover slamming Tony to the floor. <em>His</em> Tony.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, Tony understood that Bucky wasn't Bucky in that moment, by any means. He was a soldier, tortured and programmed into obedience and combat. One wrong move was all it took for him to feel threatened and slip into that role.</p><p> </p><p>But, Steve—<em>his</em> Steve—didn't help him. Tony couldn't wrap his head nor his heart around the painful truth. <em>His</em> Steve stood gazing at Bucky trying to kill him, and what did he do? Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>What? It wasn't enough for him to have avoided Tony ever since his first boyfriend came back from the dead? Was it not bad enough that Tony went to bed alone each night shaken awake by nightmares of Steve leaving him, the cave, Howard, Obie, everything bad in the world? Was it not cruel enough that Tony has to sit idly by waiting for Steve to leave him and rekindle his relationship with Bucky? Not that they hadn't already gotten a head start—it wasn't like Tony didn't notice Steve clinging to Bucky's side since his return or the looks they gave each other.</p><p> </p><p>There were two moments that split his heart the most, though. When he came down for movie night to see everyone surrounding Bucky, smiling and laughing, looking at him with pure adoration, so easily replacing Tony, to which Tony immediately turned back around and returned to his penthouse. He suddenly wasn't up for movie night and had JARVIS inform his teammates that he wasn't feeling well before taking a long shower, smoking half a pack of cigarettes, and passing out. And later that same night when he had a particularly horrible nightmare of his father finding that he'd used some scraps of Howard's to build a robotic arm and 'beating some sense into him' before locking him in his room for what was supposed to be a weekend and turned into a month. Tony searched for Steve throughout the tower, knowing his boyfriend would hold him and make him feel safe until he fell back asleep peacefully. However, when Tony found Steve, it was in Steve's old room where Bucky had been staying, and there was an old record playing as Steve held his past lover closely. Finally, a dance with his <em>best fella</em>.</p><p> </p><p>This was inevitable. Tony knew that from the first moment that Steve was his. Somehow he'd been lucky enough that Steve didn't see all the reasons Tony didn't deserve his love. And that was good, while it lasted. But nothing good ever did. Eventually, everyone saw Tony for what he was. And Tony knew in his heart as soon as they found out Barnes was alive that he had to hold onto Steve as long as he could. Because the minute Bucky returned, Steve would be gone.</p><p> </p><p>The worst of the worst, though, was when Tony had actually forced himself to be around Barnes. How similar they were killed him. It didn't take long for Tony to realize he was just a worse version of Bucky—a replacement. Something to fill the hole left in Steve's life when he lost Bucky so many years ago. He hated himself even more for being so similar to Barnes, yet he thanked God for it because he knew that Steve never would've loved him otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>Having grown up in a much less accepting world, he knew Steve and Bucky deserved happiness together. They never could've held hands at the movies or gone out dancing or had a proper dinner date. The love of his life deserved to have all of that with the love of his. He just wished that he was that person. Alas, Tony would never be that person for anyone. He was simply unlovable.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing Steve, he was just far too kind to let Tony down. He would stick around because he didn't want to hurt Tony. But that wasn't right. And Tony knew what he had to do-</p><p> </p><p>So he closed the door on the old lovers as quietly as possible and went straight to the workshop, ordering JARVIS to go on lockdown and not respond to Steve's override code. After nine days working on projects here and there, falling asleep for no more than two hours at a time, and listening to Metallica and AC/DC, JARVIS informed Tony that Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes were trying to see him. When Tony insisted he didn't want to see anyone, Jarvis reminded him of the repairs he'd promised to make for Barnes' prosthetic arm.</p><p> </p><p>Tony put a Marlboro black between his teeth and a fake smile upon his face as he unlocked the workshop and lit up. <em>This was going to be a hell of a day.</em></p><p> </p><p>Steve, ever the worrier, got onto him about smoking, but Tony paid him no mind, simply instructing Jarvis to turn up the volume and Barnes to remove his prosthesis. He instantly got to work, not wanting to drag the process out any longer than he had to. Bucky and Steve sat on the couch where Tony had spent hours crying—but no one needs to know about that—smiling and laughing like the old friends they were. Tony clenched his jaw and opened a new pack. <em>A hell of a day, indeed.</em></p><p> </p><p>I mean, why <em>would</em> Steve react to how cold and closed off Tony was acting? What when he had his perfect, charming, super soldier boyfriend back that he'd known his whole life.</p><p> </p><p>Before long, Tony had finished both the repairs on Bucky's arm and the pack of Marlboro's he'd just opened. He dug his fingernails into the palms of his hand watching Steve help Bucky get his arm attached and adjusted.</p><p> </p><p>And then, it happened. A matter of seconds, and Tony was pinned to the ground trying his damnedest to pull the metal fingers from their death grip—literally—around his neck.</p><p> </p><p>The guilt in Bucky's eyes when he regained control of himself was heart wrenching. Tony didn't even like the guy, for obvious reasons, but he knew Bucky instantly felt horrible for what he'd done.</p><p> </p><p>Barnes running off was to be expected. But, Steve. Tony knew their love was over even if they hadn't explicitly said it yet, but he'd hoped Steve had cared enough to some degree that he'd make sure Tony was okay before chasing after Barnes.</p><p> </p><p>In a rough, barely-there voice, Tony told JARVIS to lockdown again and stop taking messages this time. He struggled, but he managed to get himself off the floor and crossed the room on shaky legs to the small kitchen for when he stayed in the workshop for weeks at a time. Tony hesitated slightly as he held his ice-filled glass. After a moment of thought, he'd made up his mind. <em>3 years sober wasn't that great, anyway.</em></p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>"What the hell is wrong with you?" a deep voice shouted across the room. Steve looked up from his sketchbook in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>"What have you done to friend, Tony?" a deeper voice boomed.</p><p> </p><p>Thor and Rhodey were crossing the room looking at Steve almost with intent to kill. Happy, Pepper, and Natasha followed closely behind them. Even Clint and Bruce were walking toward him, all of them saying something or another about Tony. What was this, some kind of intervention?</p><p> </p><p>Although unusual for himself, Steve immediately went on the defensive. "What the hell are you all talking about? I haven't done a single thing to Tony, he's the one who locked me out and wiped my override code."</p><p> </p><p>"You really don't get it do you, Steve?" Bruce shook his head in disappointment.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't get what?"</p><p> </p><p>"We saw the footage, asshole." Clint chimed in. What? Clint and Tony barely even get along.</p><p> </p><p>"What footage? What are you guys-"</p><p> </p><p>"The workshop. Bucky strangling Tony. Ring any bells?" Pepper's disgusted tone pulled at Steve's heart.</p><p> </p><p>"That wasn't Buck's fault. He was just-"</p><p> </p><p>"This isn't about Bucky." Natasha grabbed Steve's shirt collar. "This is about you."</p><p> </p><p>"What about me?" He pushed her away from him, standing to meet the eyes of everyone around him. "I didn't do anything."</p><p> </p><p>"Exactly. You didn't do anything." Rhodey said bitterly. "You just watched. Didn't even try to help Tony."</p><p> </p><p>"You were just gonna let Barnes kill him." Pepper was in tears now. Rhodey wrapped an arm around her, trying to console her.</p><p> </p><p>"It- it wasn't like that."</p><p> </p><p>Happy pulled up the footage they were referring to. Steve watched Bucky shove Tony down, quick to pin him and get a hand around his throat. His mouth went dry as he watched himself stand completely still on the screen.</p><p> </p><p>"Then what <em>was</em> it like?" Steve had never seen Clint so defensive over Tony.</p><p> </p><p>"Now this, right here. This is my favorite part." Happy was absolutely livid as the Steve on the screen chased after Bucky who had just run away, not even looking back at his boyfriend lying on the ground. "You just left him there. You just left him by himself!"</p><p> </p><p>"Tony always insists he is not deserving of you." Thor was eerily quiet. "He seems to have things rather backwards."</p><p> </p><p>"Is Barnes worth it?" Natasha stared cold into Steve's eyes. Steve just looked away from her.</p><p> </p><p>"You better hope he was." Bruce mumbled as the people Steve loved most—well, not quite all of them—walked away from him absolutely disgusted.</p><p> </p><p>Steve's eyes found their way back to the screen on which the footage continued. Tony dragged himself over to a compartment, hidden behind his microwave oven. <em>No</em>. Steve collapsed onto the floor as he watched he love of his life relapse. All he could do was watch through tear-blurred eyes as Tony cried and touched the finger shaped bruises forming along his throat and drank and asked JARVIS to reinstate the total lockdown in a raspy, broken voice.</p><p> </p><p>Wiping the tears on the back of his sleeve, Steve shuffled to his feet and chased after the group that had previously been yelling at him.</p><p> </p><p>"Wait!" He yelled as more tears continued to fall down his face. "How do I- how do I fix it?"</p><p> </p><p>Rhodey retracted his arm from its place around Pepper's shoulders and stepped as close as he could get to Steve. And then, he said the two worst words Steve could've heard in that moment.</p><p> </p><p>"You can't."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Hours and hours of crying to the point that Steve felt like his body had run out of tears, and he was just lying on the floor sobbing, a framed image of he and Tony clutched to his chest. It was from a lovely photo shoot they'd done when announcing their relationship.</p><p> </p><p>Reasonably, he knew he must've heard the door to his and Tony's bedroom open and the footsteps crossing the room, but it still startled him when he felt warmth behind him and two strong arms lifting him so he was upright with his back against a broad chest. <em>Bucky</em>.</p><p> </p><p>"Shh, I know, doll. It's gonna be okay." Bucky ran his fingers through Steve's messy hair. Steve couldn't help but collapse against the man he'd once loved so dearly. New tears miraculously poured from his eyes, soaking Bucky's shirt as he buried his face in the man's chest.</p><p> </p><p>A cool, metal finger tucked under Steve's chin, forcing him to meet Bucky's eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"You've gotta stop worrying about me and fix this thing with your fella."</p><p> </p><p>"But- but it's not fair, Buck. We're together—to the end of the line. We made a promise-"</p><p> </p><p>"Stevie, I was gone. You're the love of my life. And I was the love of yours. But you have a new life now. You're not the same scrawny kid from Brooklyn that danced with me when the curtains were closed so the neighbors wouldn't see. You're different now. I'm different. We're different. Do I wish it wasn't like this? Of course. Would I do anything to have you back? Stevie, you know I would in a heartbeat. But, that man down there loves you more than he could ever love himself, no matter what folks say about his ego. And you love him just the same. You two deserve to be happy, so I'm gonna need you to dry it up, Darlin' so we can figure out how you're gonna make this right."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Steve's override code might be out of commission, but Pepper's was not. Happy and Rhodey managed to pull Tony off the floor and carry him to the workshop's bathroom while she cleaned up the shattered glass and discarded bottles and had JARVIS order some dinner. Once the men had Tony in the bathroom, Pepper took over. She ran him a warm bath and was massaging shampoo into his hair by the time he came to. Tony was used to Pepper cleaning up after him, so he didn't question much.</p><p> </p><p>She got him a less grease-stainedtank top and sweatpants that hadn't been worn for 23 days straight as he dried himself. Pepper helped him make his way out to the couch where she settled him in under some soft blankets. Bruce brought in takeout from Tony's favorite Thai restaurant as Pepper curled up behind him, knowing it would do him best to be the little spoon even though he'd never allowed it when the two had dated.</p><p> </p><p>And she held him, while all the people—well, almost all the people—who cared most about him gathered around in the space he felt most comfortable. Nat and Bruce lie on the loveseat together; Thor sat on the edge of the couch on which Tony laid with Pep, running his fingers through Tony's damp curls to comfort his friend; Clint, Happy, and Rhodey stayed in the kitchen mostly with several members of the cleaning staff, searching for every last secret bottle Tony might be hiding within the workshop.</p><p> </p><p>He felt <em>safe</em>...</p><p> </p><p>...until Bucky came off the elevator. Two weeks had passed since the—er, <em>incident</em>, but Tony still felt uneasy as Barnes entered his safe space yet again. Pepper sat up almost shielding Tony, and Thor wrapped his arms around him protectively.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm real sorry, about what happened, doll. You know I'd never hurt you on purpose... I just- Stevie really messed up and he doesn't know how to make it better. But I thought you oughtta know that he and I aren't- we..." Tony has never seen Bucky struggle so much, usually so smooth talking. "I love Stevie. But he's not mine to love anymore. I just wanted a little bit of time with him before I had to let go of my best fella for good. But he's yours. Even if I didn't wanna let him go, the way he cried when he realized he hurt you- it was awfully convincing. He loves you, Tony, so much. He just got too worked up over my feelings and some guilt 'cause he found a better fella." Was Barnes tearing up? "But I want you to know, I'll stay out of your way from now on. I didn't mean to give you so much grief. I just wanna see my Stevie happy; you're the key to that."</p><p> </p><p>Feeling like he was on autopilot, Tony unwrapped himself from Thor's arms and crossed the room to wrap his own around Barnes. "Thank you. I know he's the love of your life," he heard himself say.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, crazy as it is, we didn't get to finish our first lives, and these new ones ain't nothin' like anything we ever thought we'd have. But you're the love of this life for Stevie, and I'm sure this all happened for a reason, 'cause you've gotta be his soulmate, Stark."</p><p> </p><p>Tony has nothing else to say, so he just squeezed Bucky tighter.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky wiped his thumb across the smile lines around Tony's eyes where a few tears had spilled. He kissed Tony's forehead and smiled back at the shorter man, who then pulled him over to the couch where he ended up in a cuddle pile involving himself, Stark, Thor, and Pepper.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>This was it. Steve was finally going to make it up to Tony. <em>God</em>, how had he let himself make such a mess of things?</p><p> </p><p>That didn't matter now. What mattered was that Tony was going to be meeting him on the roof in ten minutes. Steve straightened his tie in the mirror and grabbed his surprise off the desk before stepping onto the elevator.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he was placing the finishing touches, Tony stepped out of the elevator, onto the roof. His face was awestruck. White Christmas lights hung all around the roof of the Avengers Tower. A large blanket was spread out on the ground next to Bruce's garden. On it was a basket full of Tony's favorite foods that Steve could cook, a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, a note, and a vase full of Tony's favorite flowers.</p><p> </p><p>On the corner, there was also a record player already playing Steve's favorite song to dance with Tony to—Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis. And Tony couldn't wipe the stupid smile off his face. He was used to over the top planning and details, but only ever on his part. Yet, Steve had gone to all this trouble to set this up for him.</p><p> </p><p>Steve reached a hand out as the King sang,</p><p>
  <em>Take my hand.</em>
</p><p><em>Take my whole life, too</em>.</p><p>And as Tony was pulled up against Steve's chest to begin dancing, Steve sang.</p><p><em>For I can't help falling in love with you</em>.</p><p>Tony rested his head in the crook of Steve's neck, breathing in the familiar smell.</p><p>
  <em>Like a river flows, surely to the sea</em>
</p><p><em>Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be</em>.</p><p>Steve's smooth-as-honey voice sang softly into Tony's ear as they danced. He didn't have to be loud. This moment was exclusively for Tony.</p><p> </p><p>As the song ended, Steve took Tony's hand and led him to the blanket where they sat together. Steve unpacked all the different foods he'd made that day, feeding Tony what he wanted of each dish and sharing the bottle. Tony had been sober since the <em>incident</em>, so Steve was sure to get non-alcoholic. The pair laughed and enjoyed each other’s company all night. In one moment, they got quiet; simply holding hands and smiling at each other, suddenly realizing how much they’d missed one another. Once they reached dessert, Steve had Tony sit on the edge of the balcony while he got the record playing again. Tony picked at his cake as he read the love letter.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Tony,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Words can't describe how fortunate I am to have somehow ended up in your time. I am certain that this was our destiny, that they were supposed to find me in the ice when they did so that I could fall in love with you. We were simply meant to be. My biggest regrets are waiting so long to admit my feelings and almost ruining things because I got distracted. There is no doubt in my mind that you are the only person I need in life, the love of my life, my best fella, and my soulmate. I never want you to doubt that you are the most important thing to me again. I never want to dance with anyone else. You are it, Tony. You are my endgame. So there's only one thing left to do. Look up, my love.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And when he did, there Steve was. Kneeling with a small black box in his hands and tears in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Tony Stark, will you-"</p><p> </p><p>Steve couldn't even finish before Tony was pulling him to his feet and kissing him passionately. Steve's hands grabbed the sides of his face and Tony wrapped his own around his boyfriend—now fiancé's—wrists, keeping them there. </p><p> </p><p>As they rested their foreheads against each other, Steve smiled and said, under his breath, "I guess, that's a yes, then?"</p><p> </p><p>Tony just smiled and kissed him once more. "Of course, Cap. How could I say no?"</p><p> </p><p>Steve placed the simple, golden band on Tony's finger, reading aloud the engraved words along with the record playing softly.</p><p> </p><p><em>I can't help falling in love with you</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first AO3 story, so I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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